Contact means for battery cells



Aug. 17,1926. 1,596,188 H. W. JONES CONTACT MEANS FOR BATTERY CELLS Filed Oct. 27, 1923 raq-* I l Patented Aug 17, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE."

HOMER w. JONES, OF FLUSHING, NEW YORK, 'ASSIGNOR TO NATIONAL OAIBIBON COM- PANY, DIG, CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

- Application filed October 27, 1923. Serial No. 671,156.

The invention is a dry cell electrode 'comprising a metallic member provided with a projecting point or' edge adapted to give a low-resistance contact with an abutting surface. The invention maybe variously applied. but ordinarily the contact-making point or edge will be formed on the brass cap of carbon rod electrodes, or on the bottom of zinc container electrodes;

Small dry cells, such as those for flashlights, are customarily provided with a brass cap on the exposed end of the carbon rod electrode. Connection is made by bringing a this cap against another conductor, whichis particularly always of metal, being for example the bottom, of the zinc container electrode ofanother cell or the central terminal of a miniature incandescent lamp. When both the brass cap and the abuttingmetalare clean and free from products of 'corrosion or other non-conducting materials such as the pitch and wax used in sealing dry cells, a good electrical connection is easily efl'ected, but if either contacting part carries a film of non-conductive material. a

high-resistance connection or an open circuit is the result. I

In accordance with one embodiment of my invention, contact between the carbon electrode and adjacent conductor is limited to a very small surface, by. providing the electrode with a plate having a projecting portion on which a point, edge, or other small area is formed.

The invention will be further described in connection with the accompanying drawing in which-- Fig. 1 is a section of a carbon rod electrodegembodying my invention, 40 Fig? 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a modified form of cap to be applied to a carbon rod electrode,

Fig, 3 is an enlarged perspective view of another modifi ation of the cap,

my novel electrodes and connected to form a battery, and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a zinc container electrode having a'projection on its bottom.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 4 is a view of two cells provided with Fig. 1, the projection is produced by a punching operation performed on the plate forming the top of the electrode cap 1, without severing the metal. In this case the projection takes the form of a small cone 2.

In Fig. 2 I have shown a modified cap 3, wherein the material of the cap is severed along a V and the point of the V is turned upward.

Fig. '3 shows a cap 4 which differs from thatof Fig. 2 in that the metal ,is severed along a U, the contact being a short edge insteadof a point. Y

'A battery of cells 5, each having a contact making projection on caps 1, is illustrated in Fig. 4. Y

Instead of forming a projection upon the electrode cap, the bottom of the zinc cup may be formed centrally to produce a' point or edge adaptetd to engage a conductor. Thls. embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Fig. 5, in which 6 is a zinc cup having conical central protuberance 7. The carbon electrode has a plane brass ca 8. This will be in contact with the protu erance on the base of a superposed cell, when the cells are stackedfor service.

Separate contact-making points or the like may besecured to the brass cap or zinc cup, but it is generally preferable to form them by astamping or. similar operation from the metal of the cap or cup. A plurality of points, arranged in any s'ultable' way, may be provided if desired.

With a contact member in accordance with my invention, any thin filmof non-conductelectrical contact. The pressure of the cell against the abutting conductor is localized on such a small area that the non-conducting film is pierced-and the metal underneath mg material is ineffectual to prevent good is reached. A relative movement between &

My invention is subject to many modifications, and is limited only by the appended claims.

I claim:

5 1. A cylindrical battery cell having an electrode provided with a. projection of anlar longitudinal section, said section beso oriented as to present an apex to a indrical cell disposed coaxially with the 9 cell first mentioned, substantially as and for th purpose described.

2. A cylindrical battery cell having a carbon rod electrode provided with a projection of angular longitudinal section, said a 1n y section being so oriented as to resent an apex to a cylindrical cell dispose coaxially with the cell first mentioned, substantially as and for the urpose described.

3. A cylindncal battery cell having an electrode provided with a substantially rigid projection of angular longitudinal section, saidsection being so oriented as to present an apex to a cylindrical cell disposed coaxially with the cell first. mentioned, substantially as and for the u'rpose described.

In'testimony whereo I aflix my signature.

HOMER W. JONES. 

